Radio control apparatus



Feb. 18, 1941. MYERS 2,232,663

RADIO CONTROL APPARATUS Filed March 6, 1940 William H. Myers.

Referring now to the more detailed views, a

housing may be secured to thecasing I5 as by hexagonal flange 2i screwed into a nipple 22 having an enlarged lower end adapted to abut the interior of the casing. Within the housing may be disposed a shaft 23 which I shall call a switch shaft and a tubular shaft 33 which I shall call a volume control shaft. On the outer end of the switch-shaft is secured a manual 24 and its extreme inner end is provided with a fin 25 adapted to extend part way into a slot 2B of a switch shaft 21 secured to a single pole single throw rotary switch 28 having connecting lugs 29 and 30. The switch may be secured to a bracket 28 in turn secured to casing i5. The interior of the switch is shown diagrammatically in Figure 6 and consists of fixed contacts I! and 32 connected to the power input oi. the set and a movable member adapted to rotate with shaft 21 and having contacts 21 and 21'. Turning of the switch from the "off" to the on position aligns the movable contacts with the fixed contacts and connects the set with the power supply so as to place it in operation.

The outer or volume control shaft 33 is shown as tubular in nature and at its termination carries an insulating washer 35 to which is secured a volume control slider 31 resiliently held against a resistor strip 38 of annular configuration and con structed in a manner well known in the art. The resistor strip 38 is mounted on an insulating washer 39 secured to a base 40 which may be mounted on nipple 22. A housing 4| may be provided to enclose the rheostat structure above dc scribed, by providing suitable lugs turned over the rear face of the base 40. It will be observed that turning of the manual 34 which is secured to the shaft 33 will cause the slider 31 to rotate around the resistor strip in order to vary the resistance in the circuit within which the rheostat is connected. Connecting lugs 42, 43 and 44 are connected to the resistor strip and slider in a manner well known to the art, so that the resistor may be connected into the desired circuit through appropriate wires.

Intermediate the ends of the shaft 23 is provided a collar 46 for operating a. tuning device indicated generally at 45. This comprises a slide member disposed below collar 46, which member may consist of a rectangular metallic member 55 having ears 41 and 5! adapted and arranged to reciprocate within housing 48 when moved by the collar 46 as the switch shaft is pushed inwardly (or downwardly as in Fig. 5) against the action of spring 52. Secured to member 53 is a contact plate iiiof conductive-metal having a pair of contacts 54 and 55 bent over in substantial parallel relationship to the plate 53 and arranged in yielding contact with a strip of insulation 49' disposed underneath insulating piece 60. (See Figures 4, 5 and 7.) Between the insulation strip 48' and a. portion of the piece are provided contact strips 55 and 51. The ends of these strips are provided with lugs 58 and 59 for connection with the radio receiver. The entire structure is housed within a casing 45 and secured to a bracket 49 in turn secured to the housing l5.

When the manual 24 is pushed inwardly the collar 45 engages ear 41 and'pushes the plate 53 inwardly against the action of spring 52. At the same time the contacts 54 and 55 ride oi! the insulating strip 49" and onto the contact strips 55 and 51. This connects the contacts 58 and 51, thereby completing a circuit including the same and conductive metal plate 53. Lead wires from lugs 55 and 59 and also i'romthe previously described lugs 42 to 44 of the volume control and 29 and 30 of the on and off switch, may be led through the casing l5 through an opening Bi and connected to the appropriate devices and circuits of the radio receiver.

As indicated diagrammatically in Figure 6, power from battery 64 is applied to the receiver through lines 81 and 82. When the manual 24 is turned, contact is made within the rotary switch 28 as previously described and the set is connected to power. Assuming that the connected tuning circuit is already properly tuned the set operates as soon as the tubes warm up. In the event it is desired to tune to another station, the manual 24 is depressed in order to effect a movement of translation of the shaft 23 which is permitted by reason of the fact that the end of shaft 25 may move into the slot 25. This movement of translation actuates tuning device 45 by moving the member 53 inwardly (or downwardly, see Figure 5) and the contacts 54 and 55 are connected to contact strips 55 and 51. (Figures 4, 5 and-'7.) This closes the circuit through solenoid 63 and pulls the plunger 65 against the action of'the spring 66 and moves a suitably mounted bell crank 51. A pawl 55 mounted on said crank moves ratchet wheel 55 on shaft '10 a predetermined amount and this causes one of the movable contacts ill to connect a diiferently tuned circuit between contact "ill which bears on ring ii and one of the fixed con tacts "l4, l5, it, etc.

It will be understood that the radio receiver provided with pretuned circuits each of which connected with the contact 13 and one of the con tacts l4, l5, 15, etc., so that each step to which the ratchet 89 is advanced connects a diilferently tuned circuit between contact 13 and some other contact. By this means a perdetermined tuned circuit may be closed by a predetermined number of trauslatory movements imparted to shaft 23 resulting in an. equivalent number of solenoid operations and rotatory movements of the shaft 10.

The resistor 38 may be connected in a circuit including a duplex diode triocle tube Bil as indicated in Figure 6, which illustrates a conventional means of controlling volume. The resistor is connected to act as a potentiometer or signal divider and is connected with the rectifying diode of the tube. Circuits such as that shown in Figure 6 adapted to permit volume control are well known in the art and form no part of the present invention.

It will be noted that the invention is not limited to use with automotive radio receivers nor to the tuning of the receiver by switching in various preset tuning circuits. The solenoid device may be utilized in other ways such as actuating mechanical tuning units in known manner. Instead of concentric or encompassed shafts one or more Bowden wires may be used, arranged so theirends are closely adjacent each other and arranged to carry suitable cooperating manuals. Of course the manuals described need not be hand operated means but may be foot, knee or limb-operated members adapted and arranged for operation by the foot, knee or other limb. These and other variations and modifications of the invention will readily appear to persons skilled in the art and may be made within the teaching of the principles embodied in the present disclosure.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a radio receiver having a number of tuning circuits, 9. pair 01' shafts one disposed within the other, a manual .element disposed at the endo! each shaft and in close proximity 

